Current-motor.



No. 838,237. PATENTED DEG.11, 1906. J. A. CAMERON.

CURRENT MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED JAN.15. 1906.

2 sums-SHEET 1.

PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906.

-,J. A. CAMERON.

CURRENT MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED 3111.15. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS co.. wasu'mcrou, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. CAMERON, OF BUTTE, MONTANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE CAMERON MANUFACTURING AND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CURRENT-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES A. CAMERON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Butte, Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Current-Motors, of which the following is a speci- -fication.

The main objects of this invention are to provide a form of current-motor which may be mounted upon a float or platform to utilize the power of the current of a flowing stream and transmit a steady and continuous rotary motion, to provide improved means for controlling the relative operations of a pair of paddles depending from opposite ends of v a balance-beam, to provide improved means for intermittently oscillating such balance-beam for alternately submerging and withdrawing said paddles from the stream, and to provide mechanism for operating a series of depending paddles whereby the paddles will be successively immersed into the stream, each entering the water before the preceding paddle has been withdrawn therefrom, so as to impart a steady and continuous motion adapted for driving rotating mechanism. I accomplish these objects by the device shown in the accompanying drawin 's, in which- Tigure 1 is a side elevation of a currentmotor constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the paddle-operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of one of the catches for securing the balance-beam at the limits of its oscillations. Fig. 4 is a detail of one of the lugs or pins which engage said catch. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the catch on the beam 5 and its relation with the pins on the dogframe 16. Fig. 6 is an end view of the same parts, the frame 16 being partly broken away and the beams 3 and 5 in section.

In the construction shown in the drawings the supporting-frame consists of a skeleton frame mounted upon a float 1, which is adapted to be moored in a stream of flowing water, the direction of the current of the stream being indicated by the arrow 2 in Fig. 1. The supporting-frame consists of a pair of horizontally disposed beams 3, mounted upon uprights 4 and extending parallel with each other and longitudinally of the stream. Balance-beams 5 are pivotally mounted on horizontal axes at the extremities of the beams 3, the beams 3 extending sufliciently beyond the ends of the float so that the balance-beams 3 entirely overhang the stream. The balance-beams 5 are preferably ofskeleton framework comprising parallel bars rigidly connected together, as seen in Fig. 2. Each of the balance-beams 5 has a pair of depending arms 6 and 7, respectively, suspended at opposite ends of the beam and pivotally connected therewith. The arms 6 are extended u 'vard beyond their pivotal connections with the beam 5, and the upwardly-extended parts of the arms 6 are connected by links 8 with points on the arms 7 below their pivotal connections. These links 8 insure that the arms 6 and 7 will swing in respectively 0 posite directions. The movement of one by t 1e current, therefore, returns the other to its initial upstream position.

The crankshaft 9 is journaled in the supporting-frame between the balance-beams 5. The shaft 9 is preferably provided with two cranks 10 and 11, disposed at ri ht angles to each other, and said shaft is a so provided with a fly-wheel 12 forinsuring a steady rotation thereof. The crank 11 is connected with one arm 6 by means of a link 13, and the crank 10 is similarly connected with the arm 7 of the opposite air of paddles by means of a link 14. These inks impart rotation to the shaft 9 through the swinging of the paddles 15 on the arms 6 and 7 under the action of the current.

A dog-frame 16 is pivotally mounted on the frame 3 near one end of each of the balance-beams 5. Each of these frames is rovided with two sets of pins or lugs 17 an 18,

17 and 18 into engagement with the catches 19. The stop 3, Fig. 5, limits the movement of the frame 16 under the tension of the spring 20.

The oscillating of the beams 5 is accomplished by the levers 21, which are fulcrumed at 22 on the supporting-frame and are connected with the cranks and 11 by the links 23. The levers 21 are each provided with a spring-arm 24, the function of which will be hereinafter described. The outer ends of the spring-arms 24 have loose sliding connection with a staple or eye on the arms 5. This sliding connection allows the spring 24 to yield'freely when bent.

The-dog-frames 16 are operated by means of the levers 26, which are connected with their respective dogframes by links 28. The levers 26 are each provided with rollers 29, which are located in position for engaging the lugs and 31 on the fly-wheel.

The operation of the device shown is as follows: The normal direction of rotation of the fly-wheel 12 is indicated by the arrow thereon, and the current of the stream is indicated by the arrow 2. The arrows adjacent to each of the paddles 15 indicate the direction of movement of the respective paddles when the various parts of the mechanism are in the positions shown in Fig. 1. The lug 30 is about to engage the lever 26 and force it toward the left. This movement pulls the cord 28, which swings the dog-frame 16 at the right-hand end of Fig. 1, to withdraw the pins 17 from engagement with the latch 19. The balance-beam 5 at the right-hand end of Fig. 1 being now free to swing on its pivot will be swung by means of the spring-arm 24, so as to immerse the paddle on the arm 7 and withdraw the paddleon the arm 6, as indicated by the arrows thereon. The latches 19 will be carried by the beam 5 into position for engaging the pins 18 of the frame 16. As soon as the lug 30 has passed the roller 29 the spring 20 will return the dog-frame 16 to its normal position and the latches 19 will be engaged by the pins 18 and hold the beam 5 at the other limit of its oscillation, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The continued rotation of the crank 10 causes the lever 21 to swing and bends the spring-arm 24 in the op osite direction, so that it will have the e ect of re turning the balance-beam 5 to the position shown in Fig. 1 as soon as the same is again released by the dog-frame 16. The rotation of the crank 11 causes the arm 6 to oscillate on its pivot through the action of the link 13, and the cranks 10 and 11 are so disposed with relation to each other that the paddles will move toward their upstream positions when lifted above the surface of the water and will swing with the current when immersed in the stream. The paddle mechanism at thelefthand end of Fig' 1 operates in an exactly similar manner. The levers 26 are spaced about ninety degrees apart with respect to the periphery of the fly-wheel 12, so that the lugs 30 will cause one set of paddles to shift vertically, while the other set is in the middle of its horizontal stroke. Thus there is no interval during which all of the paddles are withdrawn from the water, and the driving of the fly-wheel is therefore continuous. The cranks 10 and 11 are so spaced with respect to the lugs 30 that the oscillation of each beam 5 occurs at the instant when the pad dles have arrived at either limit of their strokes.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is g 1. In a current-motor, the combination of a supporting-frame mounted above a stream, a depending arm pivotally mour ted on a hori' zontal axis and vertically movable therewith, a paddle on said arm adapted to dip into the stream and be swung in one direction by the current, a rotating member journaled on said frame and driven by the swinging of said paddle, mechanism operated by said rotating member and adapted to raise and lowersaid arm for immersing the paddle into the stream and lifting it therefrom, detents for holding said arm in its raised and lowered positions while swinging on its pivotal axis, and means for releasing said detents when said arm reaches certain respective upstream and downstream positions.

2. In a currentmotor, the combination of a frame mounted above a stream, a horizontally-disposed beam pivotally mounted in said frame, a depending arm pivotally mounted at one end of said beam and adapted to swing longitudinally of the current, a rotating member on said frame, a link connecting said member with said arm, suitable mechanism between sald member and said beam and arranged to oscillate said beam vertically for raising and lowering the paddle from the stream, detents for holding said beam in certain upper and lower positions, means for releasing said detents when said paddle arrives at certain upstream and downstream positions, and a spring comprised by said mechanism and adapted to yield to permit the continued rotation of said member while said beam is held in a fixed position by one of said detents.

3. In a current-motor, the combination of aframe mounted above a stream, a horizontally-disposed beam pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis in said frame, a depending arm pivotally mounted at one end of said beam and adapted to swing longitudinally of the current, a rotating member journaled on said frame, a link connecting said member with said arm, a link and lever connecting said member with said beam and adapted to oscillate said beam vertically for raising and lowering the paddle from the stream, de-' tents for holding said beam in certain upper and lower positions, means for releasing said detents when said paddle arrives at certain upstream and downstream positions, and spring interposed between said beam and its respective lever and adapted to yield to permit the continued rotation of said member while said beam is held in a fixed position by one of said detents.

4. In a currentmotor, the combination of a frame mounted above a stream, a balancebeam pivotally mounted to oscillate on said frame on a horizontal axis disposed transversely of the stream, a pair of depending paddle-arms pivotally mounted at opposite ends of said beam, a link connecting said arms at points respectively above and below their points of suspension, a rotating member journaled in said frame, a second link connecting said member with one of said arms whereby said arm and member will have respective oscillating and rotating movements, a third link and a lever connecting said member with said beam for oscillating the same on its axis, said third lever having yielding connection with said beam, and mechanism for securing said beam in its lowered and upper positions until said paddle-arms reach the limits of their oscillations, substantially as described.

5. In a current-motor, the combination of a frame mounted above a stream, a horizontallydisposedbalance-beampivotallymounted on said frame and disposed longitudinally of the stream, depending arms pivotally mounted at opposite endsof said beam and having paddles at their lower ends, one of said arms being extended above the balancebeam, a link connecting the extended part of said arm with the other arm at a point below the balance-beam, means for transmitting power from said paddles, and mechanism for oscillating said beam for alternately inserting and withdrawing said paddles from the stream.

6. In a currentrotor, the combination of a frame mounted above a stream, a horizontall -disposed balance-beam pivotally mounted on said frame and disposed longitudinally of the stream, depending arms pivotally mounted at opposite ends of said beam and having paddles at their lower ends, one of said arms being extended above the balance-beam, a link connecting the extended part of said arm with the other arm at a point below the balance-beam, means for transmitting power from said paddles, mechanism operated by the paddles for oscillating said beam for alternately inserting and with drawing said paddles from the stream.

7. In a current-motor, the combination of a frame mounted above a stream, a balancebeam pivotally mounted to oscillate on said frame on a horizontal axis, disposed transversely of the stream, a pair of depending paddle-arms pivotally mounted at opposite ends of said beam, a link connecting said arms at points respectively above and below their points of suspension, a shaft journaled in said frame and having thereon a crank connected with one of said arms, and means for oscillating said beam for alternately immersing and withdrawing said paddles from the stream, all arranged to impart a rotary motion to said shaft through the action of the current of the stream on said paddles.

8, In a current-motor, the combination of a frame mounted above a stream, a balancebeam pivotally mounted to oscillate on said frame on a horizontal axis disposed transversely of the stream, a pair-of depending paddle-arms pivotally mounted at opposite ends of said beam, a link connecting said arms at points respectively above and below their points of suspension, a shaft journaled in said frame and having thereon a crank connected with one of said arms, means for imparting a limited oscillating movement to said beam for alternately submerging and withdrawing said paddles from the stream, catches for holding said beam in each of its limiting positions, and mechanism operated by paddles and adapted to release said catches and cause said beam to oscillate to the opposite limit whenever either of said paddles reaches a certain downstream position.

9. In a currentmotor, the combination of a frame mounted above a stream, a horizontally-disposed balance-beam mounted on a horizontal axis on said frame, depending arms pivotally mounted at opposite ends of said beam and having paddles at their lower ends, spring-actuated means for imparting a limited oscillating movement to said beam for alternately raising and lowering the paddles, a pair of catches adapted to secure said beam at each limit of its oscillation, a crankshaft journaled in said frame, a link connecting said crank-shaft with one of said arms, mechanism for causing said arms to oscillate in opposite directions with respect to each other, all arranged to rotate said shaft through the movement of said paddles when immersed into the stream, and mechanism operated by the rotation of said shaft for releasing said catches when either paddle reaches a certain downstream position.

10. In a current-motor, the combination of a frame mounted above a stream, a balance-beam pivotally mounted to oscillate on said frame on a horizontal axis disposed transversely of the stream, a pair of depending paddle-arms pivotally mounted at opposite ends of said beam, a link connecting said arms at points respectively above and below their points of suspension, a shaft journaled in said frame and having thereon a crank connected with one of said arms, a lever fulcrumed on said frame and having a springshaft being driven by the action of the curarm connected with said beam at one side of rent on said paddles. I 10 its pivotal axis, a link connecting said lever l Signed at Chicago this 11th day of J arm,- with said shaft and adapted to cause said lee ary, 1906. ver to swing for urging the oscillation of said JAS. A. CAMERON.

beam, catches for said beam, and mechanism Witnesses: actuated from said shaft for releasing said EUGENE A. RUMMLER, catches to permit said beam to oscillate, said 7 L. A. SMITH. 

